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Photographic 

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empreinte. 

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dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  Ie 
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et  da  haut  an  bas,  an  pranant  Ie  nombre 
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1 

2 

3 

A 

i'  :.              "'              ' 

5 

6 

i , 

.liMtitaimi'l-^uimliW^mlmni-'' 


'"■-i'iTn'nTi-itWWay(^)lgil^j£,lij)|ag:^^^ 


No.  5 


February,  1889. 


(^ommiltee  of  On^  Hundred  ^Qjk^. 


Price,  10  Cents. 


Per  100,  $5.00. 


American  Common  Schools 


vs. 


Sectarian  Paroch.a^  Schools. 


i/ 

\     By  PHILIP  S.  MOXOM. 


II 


'  1889^ 

I*       V 


})ubl!«l|r6  bt|  tl|e  (KQmmitttr  of  «nt  l^untlrtt. 

Office;  Roirtii  aa  CoiigreKalional  House, 
Bcncoii  .Street,  Boston. 


Collected  set. 


// 


.^:j:,.3^ 


r/.. 


PREFACE. 

The  substance  of  the  following  pamphlet  was  given  in  a  Thanksgiving 
Discourse  in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  November  29  ;  in  a  paper 
before  the  Baptist  Congress  assembled  in  Richmond,  Va.,  December  4th  ; 
and  in  an  address  before  the  Ladies'  Union,  of  Melrose,  December  10th. 
The  whole  was  delivered  in  Music  Hall,  December  23d,  1888.  In  response 
to  numerous  requests,  I  print  it  as  delivered  the  last  time.  The  import- 
ance of  the  subject  to  American  citizens  of  every  class,  and  not  the 
adequacy  of  its  treatment  in  this  pamphlet,  justifies,  it  seems  to  me,  this 

ur     /  P.  S.  M. 

publication. 


For  Sale  also  by  B.  F.  BRADBURY,  443  Washington  St.,  Boston. 


^y^^ 


in  a  Thanksgiving 
•er  29  ;  in  a  paper 
1.,  December  4th  ; 
!,  December  loth. 
888.  In  response 
me.  The  import- 
lass,  and  not  the 
seems  to  me,  this 
P.  S.  M. 


17 


f!. 


THE  AMERICAN  COMMON  SCHOOL 

VERSUS 

THE  SECTARIAN  PAROCHIAL  SCHOOL. 


The  theme  implies  a  certain  antagonism  between  the 
Common  School  and  the  Parochial  School.  Unfortimately 
there  is  antagonism  between  the  Common  School  and  those 
Parochial  Schools  which  are  founded  and  controlled  by  the 
Roman  Catholic  hierarchy.  This  antagonism  arises  from 
the  radical  difference  between  the  idea  which  underlies  the 
Common  School  and  the  idea  which  underlies  the  Paro- 
chial School.  The  aim  of  the  former  is  to  make  good 
citizens;  the  aim  of  the  latter  is  to  make  good  Roman 
Catholics.  The  former  seeks  the  full  rounded  develop- 
ment of  the  individual  in  his  relations  to  society  and  the 
state;  the  latter  seeks  the  production  of  a  drilled  and  scru- 
pulously obedient  servant  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

The  Common  School  is  not  in  any  just  sense  of  the  word 
irreligious;  it  is  simply  non-religious  in  the  sense  that  spe- 
cific instruction  in  religion,  especially  organized  and  secta- 
rian religion,  is  left  by  it  to  the  home  and  the  church.  The 
Parochial  School  is  ultra-religious  in  the  sense  that  knowl- 
edge of  organized  religion,  as  embodied  in  the  creed  and 
practices  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  is  made  preemi- 
nent. Cardinal  Antonelli  accurately  expressed  the  spirit 
that  dominates  the  Parocnial  School,  when  he  said  that 


St.,  Boston. 


-^3;J.^,j.ia£^S»^:-^r^ 


i.\ 


4  The  American  Common  School 

he  "  tliouoht  it  better  that  the  children  should  grow  up  in 
i'j;norance  than  be  educated  in  such  a  system  of  schools  as 
the  State  of  Massachusetts  supports;  that  the  essential  part 
of  educiilion  was  the  catechism;  and  while  arithmetic  and 
«4-eo_<,n-aph V  and  other  similar  studies  might  be  useful,  they 
were  not  essential."     ////,  Rev.^   Vol.  S,  p.  2(^J. 

Both  the  reason  and  the  importance  of  the  present  dis- 
cussion appear  when  we  consider  that  in  the  United  States 
there  are  to-day  nearly  if  not  quite  seven  million  adherents 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  that  the  head  of  this 
church,  an  Italian  pontiti',  and  all  the  hierarchy  from  the 
Pope  down  to  the  humblest  parish  priest,  are  committed, 
by  the  fundamental  dogmas  of  their  religious  system,  to  a 
course  of  action  which  is  not  only  hostile  to  the  principle 
of  education  by  the  state,  but  is  also  logically  destructive 
of  all   free  popular  institutions.     Were  the    ruling   ideas 
of  the  papacy  with  respect  to  education  to  become  supreme 
in  the  United  States,  the  Republic  would  cease  to  exist 
save  in  name.     Already  more  than  five  hundred  thousand 
children  in  this  country  are  attendants  on  the  Parochial 
Schools,  and  strenuous  efforts  are  made  by  bishops  and 
priests  to  increase  this  number.     These  children  are  to  be 
citizens  and  voters,   and  some   of  them  are    to   fill    civil 
offices,   both  local  and  national.      The   bearing   of  their 
elementary  training  on  their  action  as  citizens  is  a  matter 
of  first  importance.     It  is  neither  bigotry  nor  discourtes} , 
it  is  even  our  duty  to  state  the  case  between  Common 
School  education   and   Parochial  School  education    with 
entire  frankness,  and  to  set  forth  without  fear  or  favor  the 
inevitable  conclusions  to  which  a  careful  study  of  the  two 
systems  of  education  leads. 


ol 

11  kl  grow  up  in 

m  of  schools  as 

ic  essential  part 

arithmetic  and 

be  useful,  they 

293- 

he  present  dis- 
e  United  States 
iliion  adherents 
:he  head  of  this 
■archy  from  the 

arc  committed, 
Dus  system,  to  a 
to  the  principle 
:ally  destructive 
ic    ruling   ideas 
become  supreme 
i  cease  to  exist 
mdred  thousand 
n  the  Parochial 
by  bishops  and 
lildren  are  to  be 
are    to   fill    civil 
)earing   of  their 
izens  is  a  matter 
nor  discourtes} , 
tween  Common 

education  with 
fear  or  favor  the 
study  of  the  two 


vs.  The  Sectan'ctn  Parochial  School.  f 

I  question  no  man's  right  to  hold  the  creed  and  to 
observe  the  religious  ceremonies  which  his  judgment  and 
elioice  commend  to  him,  provided  always  that  the  practice 
of  a  religion  involves  no  infringement  of  others'  rights. 
But  an  ecclesiastical  organization  which  claims  for  itself 
the  right  to  control  the  primary  education  of  citizens,  is 
justly  subject  to  the  most  searching  criticism.  The  Roman 
Catholic  church  does  claim  that  right,  and  in  pursuance 
thereof  creates  and  seeks  to  extend  the  system  of  Paro- 
chial Schools  as  rivals  and  antagonists  of  the  Common 
Schools. 

Premising  then,  what  is  implied  in  my  theme,  that  there 
is  antagonism  between  the  Common  School  and  the  Paro- 
chial School,  I  propose  to  consider  and  define  the  ground 
and  functions  of  the  American  Common  School;  and  then 
to  set  forth  in  contrast  the  conception  of  education  on 
which  the  sectarian  Parochial  School  rests,  and  to  point 
out  some  of  the  practical  results  which  the  spirit  and 
method  of  the  Parochial  School,  as  far  as  that  spirit  and 
method  are  effective,  must  produce.  The  whole  case,  in 
outline  at  least,  will  then  be  before  us.  In  the  brief  time 
allotted  me  I  can,  of  course,  do  nothing  more  than  give  an 
imperfect  sketch  of  what  properly  demands  a  volume. 

1.     The  Ground  of  the  Common  School. 

The  Common  School  is  an  expression  of  the  idea  that 
the  state  has  a  right  to  assume  the  function  of  public 
education. 

Has  ike  state  a  right  to  educate? 

This  the  advocates  of  the  Parochial  Schools  emphatically 
deny,  except  under  such  limitations  as  practically  reduce 
the  function  of  the  state  to  the  task  of  providing  the  cost 


iiirifiiTii'ii"'iiit>iii 'rif 


6  The  American  Coiiiiiion  Sc/iool 

of  education.     Father  Conaly,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  at  the 

opetiin,^  of  a  new  Parochial  School  in  Jamaica  Plain  last 

July,  said: 

"  The  state  as  educator  of  its  citizens,  is  a  relic  of  bar- 
barism." 

Tlie  Tablet,  a  Roman  Catholic  journal,  declares: 
"We  hold  education  to  be  a  function  of tiic  church,  not 
of  the  state;  and  in  our  case  \vc  do  not  and  will  not 
accept  the  state  as  educator."  -  • 

A  Papal  encyclical  says: 

"  XLV.  The  Romish  church  has  a  right  to  interfere  in 
the  discipline  of  the  public  schools,  and  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  studies  of  the  public  schools,  and  in  the  choice  of 
the  teachers  for  these  schools." 

"  XLVII.     Public  schools  open  to  all  children  for  the 
education  of  the  young  should  be  under  the  control  of  the 
Romish  church,  and    should  not  be    subject  to  the  civi| 
power,  nor  made  to  conform  to  the  opinions  of  the  age. 
Similarly  The  Catholic  World  says: 
"  The  church  asserts  and  defends  these  principles,  and 
she  flatly  contradicts  the  assumption  on  the  part  of  the  state 
of  the  prerogative  of  education,  and  determinedly  opposes 
the  ctTort  to  bring  up  the  youth  of  the  country  for  purely 
secular  and  temporal  purposes.    *     *     *     While  the  state 
has  rights,  she  has  them  only  in  virtue  and  by  permission 
of  the  superior  authority,  and   Ihat  authority  can  only  be 
expressed  through  the  church."      Vol.  ^,  f.  439. 

Many  more  quotations  might  be  given  as  evidence  of  the 
Romanists'  denial  that  the  state  has  any  right  to  educate, 
but  these  will  suffice  for  the  present. 

The  Common  School  stands  or  falls  with  the  right  of 
the  state  to  educate.  Now,  in  a  Republic,  at  least,  the 
state  is  not  a  thing  apart  from  the  people.  Materially  it  is 
the  commonwealth.    Politically  it  is  the  whole  people  exer- 


r,  Mass.,  at  the 
aica  Plain  last 

a  relic  of  bar- 

leclarcs: 

;hc  church,  not 

am!  WILL  NOT 


t  to  interfere  in 
lie  arrangement 
1  the  choice  of 

hildrcn  for  the 
e  control  of  the 
2ct  to  the  civil 
ms  of  the  age." 

:  principles,  and 
part  of  the  state 
ninedly  opposes 
Lintry  for  purely 
While  the  state 
d  by  permission 
ity  can  only  be 

'>'  439- 

i  evidence  of  the 

ight  to  educate, 

vith  the  right  of 

)lic,  at  least,  the 

Materially  it  is 

hole  -people  exer- 


V 

I 
1 

i 


I 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School,  f 

cisiuit-  the  functions  of  self-conservation  and  self-oov- 
crnment.  The  state  is  the  organic  people,  and  as  such  has 
not  only  rights,  but  also  duties  —  for  rights  and  duties  are 
alwaNS  correlatives.  The  uronnd  of  the  Common  School 
is  the  right  and  duty  of  the  state  to  educate  the  whole 
people  to  such  extent  as  will  secure  the  preservation  of 
the  state  and  the  full  development  of  its  life.  Popular 
intelligence  and  popular  morality  are  \itally  related  to  each 
other.  They  are  practically  inseparable.  Both  intelligence 
and  morality  are  essential  to  the  preservation  of  the  state. 
No  dangers  to  the  integrity  and  development  of  the  state 
that  can  possibly  arise  are  equal  in  magnitude  to  the 
dangers  that  spring  from  these  twin  evils,  ignorance  and 
immorality.  The  right  of  the  state  to  educate  its  citizens 
is  the  right  of  self-preservation.  But  mere  self-prescr\a- 
tion  does  not  exhaust  the  right  or  duty  of  the  state.  The 
right  to  live  carries  with  it  the  right  to  seek  and  to  attain 
the  ends  of  life  through  growth  along  the  lines  of  true 
national  development.  This  is  but  to  say  that  the  state, 
equally  with  the  individual,  is  under  obligation  to  live  and 
to  unfold  its  powers  to  the  utmost  for  the  good  of  the  world. 
To  the  question,  then,  "  Has  the  state  a  right  to  educate?" 
we  may  answer:  Yes;  the  state  not  only  has  the  right,  but 
it  also  is  under  obligation,  to  c  'ucate  its  citizens  in  just  so 
far  as  is  necessary  to  secure  the  two  great  ends  of  self- 
conservation  and  self-development.  Daniel  Webster  is 
credited  with  saying  that: 

"  The  power  over  education  is  one  of  the  powers  of 
public  police  belonging  essentially  to  the  government.  It 
is  one  of  the  powers,  the  exercise  of  which  is  indispen- 
sable to  the  preservation  of  society  with  integrity  and 
healthy  action:  it  is  the  du::y  of  self-protection." 


. Va^'ttriimiti  I 


8  The  American  Couimon  .S,  //<><>/ 

To  put  the  answer  still  more  explicitly,  we  may  say: 

1.  'J7ie  slate,  must  educate  i>ecause  political  ef/i- 
ciency  and  strengt/i  are  dependent  upon  oeneral  intelli- 
oence.  The  eonserxative  and  i^niitlint,'  forces  of  a  repub- 
lic are  not  outside  and  above  the  people,— they  are  /;/ 
the  people  — in  the  minds  and  wills  of  the  many  who  by 
their  opinions  and  their  votes,  determine  what  shall  be  the 
character  and  policy  of  the  jr„vernment.  Wide-spread 
i'crnorance  is  a  perpetual  invitation  to  anarchy  with  its 
torch  on  the  one  hand,  and  despotism  with  its  sceptre  on 
the  other.  In  this  country  it  is  the  i«2;norance  of  many 
voters  which  makes  opportunity  for  the  demajioj^'uc  and 
the  political  charlatan  and  corruptionist. 

2.  T/ie  state  must  educate  because  commercial  and 
industrial  prosperity  and  material  progress  of  every 
sort  depend  on  general  intelligence.  Education  pro- 
\luces  thrift,  skill,  and  enterprise.     The  mastery  of  material 

resources  is  an  intellectual  triumph.  An  ignorant  people 
is  an  unprogl-essive  and  impoverished  people.  The  neces- 
sity of  general  education  to  economic  prosperity  appears 
most  clearly  when  we  examine  the  relation  of  intelligence 
to  efficiency  in  labor  and  to  general  thrift.  Walker,  in  his 
Political  Economy,  says: 

"Intelligence  is  a  most  powerful  factor  in  industrial 
efficiency.  The  intelligent  is  more  useful  than  the  imm- 
telligent  laborer:  [a)  Because  he  requires  a  far  shorter 
apprenticeship.  *  *  *  (/^)  Because  he  can  do  his 
work  with  little  or  no  superintendence.     *  #      * 

(r)     Because  he  is  less  wasteful  of  his  mateiials. 
(r/)     Because  he  readily  learns  to  use  machinery,  however 
delicate  or  intricate.     Pol.  Econ.,  pp.  52.,  53. 

In  1870,  the  Commission  of  Education,  at  Washington, 
sent  out  a  series  of  carefully  drawn,  comprehensive,  and 


,vi'  may  say: 
pfl/ilical  ejfi- 
'•i'tii'raf  ititell i- 
ccs  ol"  a  ri'pub- 
, —  tlu'V  arc  /// 
.'  many  wlio  l'\ 
hat  shall  be  the 
Wide-spread 
tiarehy  with  its 
h  its  sceptre  on 
)rance  of  many 
denia<j:()j4ue  and 

omniercial  and 
■ygress  of  every 
Education  pro- 
;tery  of  material 
ignorant  people 
lie.  The  neces- 
Dsperity  appears 
n  of  intellif]jenee 
Walker,  in  his 

or  in    industrial 

than  the  unin- 

res  a  far  shorter 

;e  he  can  do  his 
*        *       *        * 

nateiials.     *      * 
:hinery,  however 

53- 
,  at  Washington, 

nprehensive,  and 


C  ' 


vs.   T/it'  SeriariiiN  l\inu-}iial  School.  9 

searching  questions  to  the  great  centres  of  labor  in  all 
p  irts  of  the  United  States.  These  centres  were  j'.o 
s.'lected  as  to  represent  e\erv  kind  of  labor,  from  the 
rudest  and  siiuplest  up  to  the  most  skilled.  The  object  ol" 
the  (piestions  was  to  determine  the  relati\  e  jirodueliseness 
of  literate  and  illiterate  labor.  The  answers  brought  to 
light  the  following  facts: 

"  I.  That  an  a\erage  free  Common  School  education, 
such  as  is  pro\ided  in  all  the  states  where  the  free  Com- 
mon School  has  becoiue  a  iiermiuient  institution,  adds  50 
per  cent,  to  the  productive  power  of  the  laborer,  consid- 
ered as  a  mere  productix  e  machine. 

2.  That  the  average  Academical  education  adds  100 
per  cent. 

3.  That  the  average  Collegiate  or  University  education 
adds  from  200  to  300  per  cent,  to  the  worker's  average 
annual  productive  capacity, —  to  say  nothing  of  the  \ast 
increase  to  his  manliness." 

With  eipial  clearness  and  cogency  statistics  demonstrate 
that  education  is  the  surest  pre\enti\  e  of  pauperisiu,  and 
that  the  expense  of  providing  and  applying  in  season  this 
preventive,  would  not  be  one-tenth  of  that  now  brought 
upon  society  by  pauperism.  A  careful  examination  of  the 
census  of  the  British  Isles,  indicates  that,  other  things 
being  equal,  pauperism  is  in  inverse  ratio  to  the  degree  of 
education  given  to  the  mass  of  the  people.  That  is,  as 
education  increases  pauperism  decreases,  and  as  education 
decreases  pauperism  increases. 

The  Board  of  Charities  for  the  State  of  New  York,  in 
the  report  ibr  1877, gives  the  following  significant  facts: 

The  total  number  of  paupers  examined  over  sixteen 
j-ears  of  age,  exclusive  of  unteachablc  idiots,  was  9,855. 
Of  these,  6,937,  or  more  than  70  per  cent.,  were  substan- 


nf  fi  iitjfriiywiv'  Pi«i  )'•'"  tf -vsiairfsty 


^^,'»S'^I<.i- 


lo  The  American  Common  School 

tially  illiterate;  and  of  this  number  3,106  could   neither 
read  nor  write,  and  1,447  could  read  only. 

In  1870  a  special  investigation  was  made  in  fifteen  states, 
of  7,398  inmates  of  almshouses  and  infirmaries.  Of  these, 
4,327,  or  nearly  59  per  cent.,  could  not  read  and  write; 
while  in  those  fifteen  states  the  average  percentage  of  illit- 
erates was  only  6  per  cent,  of  the  whole  population.  From 
this  6  per  cent,  came  that  59  per  cent,  of  the  paupers. 

Similar  results  arc  obtainable  from  the  census  of  almost 
every  country  in  Europe  or  America.  It  seems  to  be  well 
established  that,  even  under  our  present  industrial  system, 
an  illiterate  person  is  from  twenty  to  thirty  times  as  liable 
to  become  a  pauper  and  an  expense  to  the  community,  as 
one  who  has  received  a  Common  School  eduotttion. 

3.  The  state  must  educate  because  the  integrity  and 
health  of  the  nation  depend  on  its  morality^  and  morality 
is  vitally  dependent  on  diffused  intelligence.  Occasionally 
a  doubt  is  expressed  as  to  the  importance  of  education  to 
the  moral  well-being  of  a  people,  but  a  careful  study  of 
facts  destroys  the  doubt.  Moreover,  education  is  not 
simply  an  intellectual  process ;  it  is  also  a  moral  process. 
The  very  effort  to  acquire  knowledge  necessarily  involves 
a  degree  of  moral  discipline.  It  is  the  rule  that  the  moral 
life  of  individuals  as  well  as  of  communities,  rises  -pari 
passu  with  a  rise  in  intellectual  life.  But  merely  intellect- 
ual training  is  only  a  part  of  education;  which,  properly 
defined,  and  to  some  extent  exemplified  in  our  Common 
School  system,  is  an  unfolding  of  the  whole  nature. 

Speaking  of  a  very  great,  if  not  the  greatest,  problem 
of  our  times,  President  Woolsey  has  said: 

"The  laboring  class  [if  uneducated]  will  have  no  mobil- 
ity, will  be  in  the  power  of  the  employer,  will  have  no 


ool 

6  could   neither 

• 

!  in  fifteen  states, 
aries.  Of  these, 
read  and  write; 
ircentage  of  illit- 
pulation.  From 
:he  paupers, 
census  of  almost 
?eems  to  be  well 
idustrial  system, 
y  times  as  liable 
e  community,  as 
eduotttion. 
e  integrity  and 
ity,  and  morality 
2.  Occasionally 
!  of  education  to 
careful  study  of 
ducation  is  not 
a  moral  process, 
essarily  involves 
le  that  the  moral 
lities,  rises  pari 
merely  intellect- 
which,  properly 
in  our  Common 
)le  nature, 
reatest,  problem 

• 

11  have  no  mobil- 
er,  will  have  no 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School. 


II 


i 


hope  of  bettering  its  condition  of  life  by  change  of  place, 
[and]  will  be  given  to  low  pleasures.  Crime  and  ignor- 
ance go  together,  and  the  prospect  for  the  children  of  such 
a  class  is  dark  indeed.  For  the  industry,  morals,  loyalty 
and  quiet  of  this  class,  for  the  safety  of  all  classes,  some 
kind  of  education  is  necessary."     Pol.  Sci.,  I.,  22y. 

The  abundant  statistics  on  the  relation  of  crime  to  illit- 
eracy which  already  have  been  gathered  teach  an  unmis- 
takable lesson.  Some  of  these  statistics  I  give  from  the 
accumulations  made  by  Senator  Blair,  of  New  Hampshire, 
to  whom  I  am  much  indebted  for  the  statistical  material  in 
this  paper. 

In  France,  in  i868,  one-half  of  the  inhabitants  could 
neither  read  nor  write.  From  this  half  came  95  per  cent, 
of  the  persons  arrested  for  crime.  From  the  other  half 
came  only  5  per  cent.  In  a  word,  a  given  number  of 
children  suffered  to  grow  up  in  ignorance  produced  nine- 
teen times  as  many  criminals  as  the  same  number  produced 
who  were  educated  at  least  to  the  extent  of  the  elementary 
branches. 

In  the  six  New  England  States,  in  1870,  only  7  per  cent, 
of  the  inhabitants  above  ten  years  of  age  were  unable  to 
read  and  write;  yet  this  7  per  cent,  produced  80  per  cent, 
of  the  criminals.  That  is,  the  proportion  of  criminal  illit- 
erates to  criminal  literates  was  as  53  to  i.  This  fact  suffi- 
ciently vindicates  the  moral  effect  of  the  New  England 
system  of  public  education  against  Cardinal  Antonelli's 
implied  charge. 

Mr.  Dexter  A.  Hawkins,  of  New  York,  has  shown  from 
the  United  States  census  of  1870,  the  comparative  number 
of  illiterates,  paupers  and  criminals,  to  every  10,000  inhab- 
itants, produced  respectively  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Par- 


<.'riiiiinnl«. 
1 60 

75 
1 1 


12  The  American  Common  School 

ochial  School,  the  Public  Schools  in   twenty-one  states, 
and  the  Public  Schools  in  Massachusetts.     The  followins;? 
table  is  significant,  to  say  the  least: 
To  every  10,000  inhabitants: — 

lllitcriiifs.         INuipi-rs. 

Rom.  Cath.  Schools  produced       1400  410 

Public  Schools  of  21  states,  350  170 

Public  Schools  of  Massachusetts,     71  49 

In  the  State  of  New  York,  in  1880,  the  illiterates  pro- 
duced eight  times  their  proportion  of  the  criminals  in  that 
state.  In  the  city  of  New  York,  in  1870,  among  the  illit- 
erates one  crime  was  committed  for  every  three  persons; 
while  among  those  who  had  received  a  Common  School 
training,  even  as  far  as  the  elementary  branches,  there  was 
only  one  crime  to  every  twenty-seven  persons.  That  is, 
the  ignorant  classes  in  that  city  produced  nine  times  as 
many  criminals  as  they  would  have  produced  if  they  had 
been  educated  in  the  Common  Schools. 

One-thirtieth  of  the  population  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
years  1879  and  1880,  was  illiterate.  That  one-thirtieth 
produced  one-third  of  all  the  crime,  or  fourteen  times 
more  than  its  numerical  proportion. 

A  careful  examination  of  statistics  gathered  from  twenty 
states,  gives  the  following  average  results: 

(i.)  One-sixth  of  all  the  crime  in  the  country  is  com- 
mitted by  persons  wholly  illiterate. 

(2.)  One-third  of  the  crime  in  the  country  is  committed 
by  persons  wholly  or  substantially  illiterate. 

(3.)  The  proportion  of  criminals  among  the  illiterate, 
is,  on  the  average,  ten  times  as  great  as  it  is  among  those 
who  have  received  at  least  the  elements  of  a  Common 
School  education. 


nty-one  states. 
The  followins^ 


npcrs.         ('riiiiinitN. 
4  I O  I  60 

170  75 

49  " 

illiterates  pro- 

riminals  in  that 

among  the  illil- 

three  persons; 

ommon  School 

ches,  there  was 

rsons.     That  is, 

I  nine  times  as 

:ecl  if  they  had 

isylvania,  in  the 

at  one-thirtieth 

fourteen  times 

-ed  from  twenty 
country  is  corn- 
try  is  committed 

e. 

ig  the  illiterate, 

is  among  those 

of  a  Common 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  13 

After  even  so  limited  a  survey  of  facts  we  cannot  help 
feeling  the  truth  there  is  underlying  the  extravagance  in 
Carlyle's  characteristic  words: 

"  If  the  devil  were  passing  through  my  country,  and  he 
applied  to  me  for  instruction  on  any  truth  or  tact  of  this 
universe,  I  should  wish  to  give  it  to  him.  He  is  less  a  devil 
knowing  that  three  and  three  are  six  than  if  he  didn  t  know 
it;  a  light  spark,  though  of  the  faintest,  is  in  this  fact;  it  he 
knew  facts  enough,  continuous  light  would  dawn  on  him; 
he  would  (to  his  amazement)  understand  what  this  uni- 
verse is,  on  what  principles  it  conducts  itselt,  and  would 
cease  to  be  a  devil."  •         ^ 

4.     The  state  must  educate  because  the  distribution  of 
rvealth  is  as  yet  so  unequal  that  a  majority  of  the  people 
want  the  means  to  provide  adequate  facilities  for  edu- 
cation.    The  total'  wealth  of  the  United  States  was  esti- 
mated in   1880  to  be  a  little  more  than   $43,600,000,000. 
If  this   were    equally   distributed   among    the  people  the 
amount  per  capita  would  be  about  $750.     As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  majority  have  much  less  than  $750  per  capita, 
and  multitudes  have  no  wealth  at  all,  save  that  which  is 
represented  by  their  power  to  do  unskilled  labor.     Under 
any  system  of  private  schools,  a  large  proportion  of  the 
people  would  be  left  without  any  education  save  that  fur- 
nished by  the  home  and  the  streets.     Private  benevolence, 
though  it  is  more  abundant  in  this  country,  perhaps,  than 
in  any  other,  can  not  meet  the  needs  of  the  people.     Nor 
would  the  moral  effect  of  education  provided  solely  by 
private   benevolence  be  as  good  as  is  the  moral  effect  of 
the  Common  School  system,  which  is  immediately  created 
and  supported  by  practically  the  whole  people,  and  thus 
produces  in  the  people  at  large  the  wholesome  sense  of 
self-help. 


'I 


14 


The  American  Common  School 


As  long  ago  as  1820,  Daniel  Webster  declared: 
"  New  England  early  adopted,  and  has  constantly  main- 
tained the  principle,  that  it  is  the  undoubted  right  and  the 
bounden  duty  of  government  to  provide  for  the  instruction 
of  all  youth.  That  which  is  elsewhere  left  to  chance  or 
to  charity,  we  secure  by  law.  For  the  purpose  of  public 
instruction,  we  hold  every  man  subject  to  taxation  in  pro- 
portion to  his  property,  and  we  look  not  to  the  question, 
whether  he  himself  have,  or  have  not,  children  to  be  bene- 
fitted by  the  education  for  which  he  pays.  We  regard  it  as 
a  wise  and  liberal  system  of  police,  by  which  property  and 
life,  and  the  peace  of  society  are  secured."      Works,  I.j  42. 

Again,  in  1837,  he  said: 

**  Education,  to  accomplish  the  ends  of  good  govern- 
ment, should  be  universally  diffusied.  Open  the  doors  ot 
the  school-house  to  all  the  children  in  the  land.  Let  no 
man  have  the  excuse  of  poverty  for  not  educating  his  own 
oftspring."     Ibid,,  40J. 

5.  The  state  must  educate  because  many  people  want 
the  motive  to  educate.  Appreciation  of  the  necessity  and 
value  of  education  rises  with  the  rise  of  individual  intelli- 
gence. A  problem  with  which  the  state  must  deal,  is  the 
intellectual  and  moral  inertness  of  the  ignorant  and  bestial 
and,  in  low  forms,  vicious  class.  In  general  this  class 
lacks  the  internal  motive  to  educate.  In  simple  self- 
defence  the  state  must  apply  to  such  the  stimulus  of  an 
external  motive.  To  prevent  crime,  which  is  as  much  its 
function  as  to  suppress  crime,  it  rriust  prevent  the  needless 
production  of  criminals  by  forcibly  dissipating  that  ignor- 
ance which  is  the  largest  source  of  criminal  life.  The 
equity  of  laws  compelling  the  attendance  of  children  at 
school  during  certain  years  of  their  life,  is  based  not  only 
on  the  sovereign  right  of  the  state  to  protect  itself,  but  also 


!>!-i.lU.llmiiHll^ 


ool 

eclared: 

constantly  main- 

ed  right  and  the 

)r  the  instruction 

left  to  chance  or 

urpose  of  public 

taxation  in  pro- 

to  the  question, 

dren  to  be  bene- 

We  regard  it  as 

ich  property  and 

'      Works,  /.,  42. 

)f  good  govern- 
en  the  doors  ot 
le  land.  Let  no 
lucating  his  own 

xny  ■people  luant 
he  necessity  and 
ndividual  intelli- 
must  deal,  is  the 
orant  and  bestial 
jneral  this  class 
In  simple  self- 
;  stimulus  of  an 
ch  is  as  much  its 
t^ent  the  needless 
lating  that  ignor- 
minal  life.  The 
e  of  children  at 
s  based  not  only 
:ct  itself,  but  also 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  i$ 

on  the  duty  of  the  state  to  conserve  the  rights  of  its  defence- 
less subjects  and  wards.  The  parental  right  of  control  oyer 
children  is  not  absolute.  It  has  certain  clear  moral  limita- 
tions. The  tiithcr  who  will  not  give  his  children  at  least 
an  elementary  education  infringes  upon  fundamental  rights 
of  those  children  which  the  state  is  bound  to  guard. 

6.     And  finally,  the  state  must  educate  because  only 
k  under  state  control  can  there  be  an  equable  and  equitable 

y  distribution  of  the  means  and  instruments  of  education. 

Private  benevolence  and  individual  enterprise  inevitably 
favor  certain  sections.  But  the  need  of  educational  oppor- 
tunities and  facilities  is  universal.  The  state  knows  no 
favoritism.  The  poorest  wards  in  our  cities  are  as  well 
provided  with  buildings,  instruments  and  teachers,  as  the 
richest  wards.  At  least  this  is  approximately  true;  and 
this  principle  of  equable  distribution  belongs  radically  to 
the  idea  of  the  Common  School. 

To  sum  up  this  part  of  my  argument:  The  ground  ot 
the  American  Common  School  is  the  right  and  the  duty  of 
the  state  to  provide  for  and,  as  far  as  possible  to  secure,  at 
least  an  elementary  education  of  all  the  people,  irrespective 
of  locality,  social  standing,  and  economic  condition. 

The  right  and  the  duty  of  the  state  to  educate  are  suffi- 
ciently demonstrated  by  the  right  and  the  duty  of  the  state 
to  protect  and  conserve  and  develop  itself  as  a  national 
body  comprehending  the  whole  people.  Whoever  ques- 
tions this  right  questions  the  fundamental  right  of  the  people 
to  self-government.  The  Common  School  is  a  natural  and 
significant  expression  of  the  genius  of  Democracy.  It  is 
rooted  in  the  necessities  of  that  state  in  which  love  of  lib- 
erty and  reverence  for  law  combine  to  form  the  organic  and 
conservative  principle  of  permanent  democratic  society. 


■■uttf 


1! 


16  7V/a  Amert'can  Common  School 

II.    The  Function  of  the  Common  School. 

The  American  Common  School  has  at  least  two  func- 
tions.    The  larjrer  and  probably  more  important,  is: 

I.  The  Teaching  Function.  How  wide  a  field  of 
knowlcd<j:e  the  teaching  of  the  Common  School  shall  cover, 
and  how  high  a  grade  of  mental  discipline  in  the  pupils 
that  teaching  shall  seek  to  attain,  have  not  yet  been  decided. 
These  are  still  matters  both  of  debate  and  of  experiment. 
But  this  much,  at  least,  is  not  doubtful. 

It  is  the  function  of  the  Common  School  to  teach: 

( 1 )  The  Elements  of  Knowledge.  Of  these  elements 
the  primary  and  fundamental  are  Reading,  which  is  the 
art  of  acquiring;  Writing,  which  is  the  art  of  expression; 
and  Arithmetic,  which  is  the  art  of  reasoning.  On  this 
broad  basis  is  reared  the  whole  structure  of  human  educa- 
tion as  a  purely  intellectual  acliievement.  To  these  funda- 
mental elements,  and  by  the  progressive  utilization  of  these 
elements  which  immediately  become  elements  of  power, 
may  be  added  the  theory  and  practice  of  vocal  music;  the 
rudiments  of  various  natural  sciences,  especially  such  sci- 
ences as  have  an  immediate  bearing  on  practical  life; 
history,  especially  history  of  the  English  race  and  of  the 
United  States;  language,  and  literature,  especially  the  Eng- 
lish language  and  literature,  and  composition ;  the  primary 
principles  and  the  outlines  of  political  economy;  and  the 
organization,  institutions  and  history  of  civil  government, 
especially  of  American  civil  government,  local  and  national. 
The  importance  of  teaching  elementary  civics  can  scared}' 
be  exaggerated. 

It  is  the  function  of  the  Common  School  to  teach : 

(2)  The  Elements  of  Industry.  On  this  point  I 
anticipate,  to  some  extent,  the  results  of  tendencies  which 


ON  School. 

t  least  two  func- 
portant,  is: 
wide  a  field  of 
i:hool  shall  cover, 
ine  in  the  pupils 
yet  been  decided, 
d  of  experiment. 

3l  to  teach: 
3f  these  elements 
'ng\  which  is  the 
irt  of  expression ; 
soning.  On  this 
of  human  educa- 
To  these  funda- 
tilization  of  these 
nnents  of  power, 
vocal  music;  the 
pecially  such  sci- 
)n  practical  life; 
1  race  and  of  the 
pecially  the  Eng- 
:ion;  the  primary 
conomy;  and  the 
civil  government, 
local  and  national, 
ivies  can  scarcely 

ol  to  teach: 

On    this    point    I 

tendencies  which 


If 


) 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School,  17 

are  working  with  increasing  force  and  breadth,  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  in  so  much  of  the  public  mind  as  is  seriously 
turned  to  the  study  of  general  educational  and  social  needs. 
Industrial  trainfng,  as  to  its  elements  at  least,  logically  be- 
longs to  the  scheme  of  education  which  a  Common  School 
system  properly  contemplates.  Our  schools  must  produce 
not  only  knoiuers^  but  also  doers.  Training  the  mind  to 
think  has  its  true  correlative  in  training  the  hand  to  execute. 
The  foundation  of  productive  power  and  technical  skill 
must  be  laid  in  the  primary  training  which  all  the  children 
of  the  land  should  receive,  (a)  in  the  use  of  the  e3'e  and 
hand  in  drawing  and  simple  construction;  (/^)  in  the 
knowledge  and  use  of  tools  and  materials;  and  (f),  for 
advanced  classes,  the  rudiments  of  a  trade  and  the  princi- 
ples of  domestic  economy.  That  all  this  properly  belongs 
to  the  function  of  the  Common  School  will  be  perceived 
more  and  more  widely  as  the  industrial  problem  of  our 
time  and  civilization  discloses  its  ominous  magnitude.  It 
will  be  seen,  also,  how  intimate  is  the  connection  between 
crime  and  the  want  of  industrial  knowledge  and  skill. 
Illiteracy  alone,  as  has  been  proved,  is  a  prolific  source  of 
crime;  but  illiterac}'  combined  with  technical  incompe- 
tency is  still  more  baleful.  Skilled  artisans  never  become 
tramps,  and  very  rarely  become  criminals.  Industrial 
training  is  needed,  further,  in  order  to  destroy  that  utterly 
vicious  idea  of  industrial  pursuits  Jis  socially  inferior  to 
professional  and  mercantile  pursuits,  which  pervades  the 
minds  of  many  Americans.  Too  many  boys  and  girls 
graduate  from  the  High  Schools  with  the  feeling  that  they 
would  lower  themselves  by  adopting  a  trade  or  by  doing 
honest  housework  for  hire. 


jtS  The  American  Conunon  School 

It  is  the  function  of  the  Common  School  to  te.ach : 
(3)      The  Elements  of  Morality.     In  the  nature  of  the 
case,  religion,  as  commonly  conceived,  riii^htly  is  excluded 
from  the  Common  School.     Our  dcfinitio'n  t)f  religion  is, 
as  yet,  sorely  defective.     But  morality — the  principles  of 
right  conduct  in  the  various  relations  of  life,  and  the  uni- 
versality and    imperativeness  of  moral  obligation  —  that 
broad  moral  basis  on  which  society  and  commerce  and 
government  must  rest,  or  fall  in  hideous  ruin,  belongs  in 
the  sphere  of  that  teaching  which  is  the  proper  function 
of  the  Comtnon  School.     The  teaching  of  morality  con- 
.  templated  here  is  (a)  a  careful  and  persistent  discipline 
of  children  in  moral  habits.     For  the  most  part  elementary 
moral  training  must  be  in  this  form.     A  child  can  acquire 
a  moral  habit  before  it  can  grasp  intelligently  a  moral  prin- 
ciple.    It  is  a  vital  part  of  Common  School  education  to 
produce  in  the  pupils  the  moral  habits  of  obedience,  order, 
cleanliness,  courtesy,  truthfulness,  honesty,  self-control,  and 
scrupulous  regard  for  the  rights  of  others.     To  these  may 
be  added  unselfishness,  and  reverence  for  all  that  is  good 
and  sacred.     But  along  with  discipline  in  moral  habits  there 
must  be  {b)  careful  instruction  in  elementary  moral  princi- 
ples.    Habits  will  thus  be  justified  and  reinforced.     Such 
instruction  is  not  yet  provided  for,  save  to  a  degree,  in  the 
personal  character  and  influence  of  teachers ;  but  element- 
ary text-books  of  practical  ethics  will  be  forthcoming  for 
use  in  the  Grammar,  if  not  in  the  Primary  Schools.     Cer- 
tain studies,  as  history  and  political  economy,  both  of  which 
belong  far  earlier  in  the  course  of  study  than  they  usually 
have  been  placed,  can  not  be  pursued  without  involving 
very  impressive  instruction  in   morality.     History  is  the 
record  as  much  of  the  moral  as  of  the  social,  industrial 


hool 

ol  to  teach: 
the  nature  of  the 
Ljhtly  is  excluded 
()n  of  reli«;;ion  is, 
the  principles  of 
life,  and  the  uni- 
obligation  —  that 
d  commerce  and 
ruin,  belongs  in 
!  proper  function 
of  morality  con- 
-sistent  discipline 
;t  part  elementary 
child  can  acquire 
ntly  a  moral  prin- 
lool  education  to 
obedience,  order, 
r,  self-control,  and 
s.     To  these  may 
)r  all  that  is  good 
moral  habits  there 
tary  moral  princi- 
reinforced.     Such 
;o  a  degree,  in  the 
ers ;  but  element- 
e  forthcoming  for 
ry  Schools.     Cer- 
my,  both  of  which 
than  they  usually 
without  involving 
'.     History  is  the 
;  social,  industrial 


vs. 


The  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  f^ 

and  political  progress  of  the  race.  History  cannot  be 
taught  intelligently  without  giving  some  pretty  clear  knowl- 
edge of  the  inevitable  sequences  of  moral  law  and  the 
influence  of  spiritual  forces  on  human  society.  It  is,  in- 
deed, one  continuous  and  tremendous  illustration  of  tiie 
working  of  moral  causes  and  a  perpetual  witness  to  the 
dependence  of  human  weal  on  conformity  to  the  sovereign 
right.  Similarly,  political  economy  cannot  be  taught  either 
historically  or  criticall}'  without  involving  a  careful  consid-* 
eration  both  of  moral  principles  and  the  moral  sentiment. 

2.  A  second  and  very  important  function  of  the  Com- 
mon School,  and  one  which  it  discharges  by  virtue  of  its 
very  constitution  and  aims,  I  will  designate  the  Social 
Function.  A  school  is  a  great  social  force.  Its  influence 
works  upon  childhood,  when  mind  and  heart  are  most 
plastic,  and  is  felt  through  all  the  after  life.  The  Common 
School  belongs  to  the  fundamental  idea  of  a  Republic  as 
much  because  of  its  social  significance  as  because  of  its 
educational  aims.  Aristocracy  intrenches  itself  and  per- 
petuates itself  in  private  schools.  I  shall  not  be  misunder- 
stood here.  Some  private  schools  are  as  broad  and  humane 
in  their  spirit  as  even  the  Common  School.  But  the  aris- 
tocratic spirit,  in  various  stages  of  its  development,  creates 
schools  which  organize  and  inculcate,  if  not  openly,  at 
least  eflfectually,  the  instincts  and  traditions  of  aristocracy. 
Examples  abound  to  illustrate  and  justify  this  statement. 

In  the  Common  School  the  children  of  rich  and  poor 
meet  on  a  common  level.  From  the  day  the  school  opens 
a  certain  equalizing  social  process  goes  on.  The  result  ot 
this  process  is  not  that  the  children  of  the  more  refined  class 
are  dragged  down,  but  that  the  whole  school  is  socially 
lifted  toward  the  level   of  the  best.     There  may  be  rare 


20 


The  American  Com  in  on  Sr/ioo/ 

i-xcL'ptions,  but  tlifs  is  the  rule;  for  the  entire  intlucnce  ol 
tciiclier,  nictliods  of  work  aiul  instruction  tends  to  this  end. 
The  aim  is  steady  at  the  best.     The  Common  School  is  the 
natural  foe  of  caste,  and  it  fosters  that  social  spirit  which 
belontrs    to  the   verv    life   and  is  essential  to  the  enduring 
integrity  of  the  Republic.     The  process  of  social  assimila- 
tion which  iroes  on  in  the  Common  School   is  of  immense 
importance  in    this   country  where   population  is  annually 
'increased   by  the  arrival  of   from   live   to   eight   hundred 
thousand    immigrants    coming   from   many   foreign    lands. 
This  heterogeneous  mass  of  foreign  life  must  be  assimilated 
to  the  organic   life  of  the  nation,  or  remain  as  a  perpetual 
source  of  peril.     Assimilation  naturally  takes  place  most 
rapidly  among  tlu;  young.     The  Common  School  system 
of  our  land  furnishes  the  chief  assimilative  force.     It  is  the 
great  Americanizing  institution.      More  than  any  other,  it 
unities   thought   and   interest,  implants  the  germs  of  wide 
social  sympathies,  and  creates  and  cultivates  a  healthy  pat- 
riotism.    This  it  docs  in  part  by  its  methods  of  training, 
but  still  more  by  force  of  what  it  is,  as  being,  in  u  special 
sense,  a  thoroughly  popular  and  Republican  institution. 

To  sum  up  the  whole  discussion  on  this  point  in  a  few 
^vords  —  it  is  the  function  of  the  American  Common 
School : 

{a)  To  furnish  a  wholesome  and  thorough  primary 
mental  training  for  every  child  iii  the  land; 

(6)  To  develop  thrifty,  skilful  and  productive  workers ; 
(c)  To  make  good  citizens  by  inculcating  those  princi- 
ples of  morality,  patriotism  and  true  social  life,  without 
which  a  Republic,  however  rich  its  resources,  and  however 
favorable  its  natural  situation,  cannot  long  endure  and 
prosper. 


■  f<'-^:l 


ool 

ntirc  intlucnci.'  ot 
tends  to  this  end. 
ion  Sehool  is  the 
leial  spirit  which 
I  to  the  enduriiiir 
)f  social  assiniiia- 
ol   is  of  immense 
lation  is  annually 
:o   eiylit   hundred 
ly   foreign    lands, 
ust  be  assimilated 
»in  as  a  perpetual 
takes  place  most 
)n  School  system 
c  force.     It  is  the 
than  any  other,  it 
:ie  sjjcrms  of  widi" 
ites  a  healthy  pat- 
ithods  of  trainino-, 
beinj;,  in  u  special 
lean  institution, 
his  point  in  a  few 
iierican    Common 

thorough  primar)' 

Hi; 

oductive  workers; 
ating  those  princi- 
ocial  life,  without 
irces,  and  however 
long  endure  and 


III 


va.   Tho  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  it 

TiiK  (iROUM)  OK  line  Roman  Catholic  Pauo- 
tlllAI  Sciiooi-. 
.The  l*ar()chial  School  is  based  on  the  assumptions  that 
the  Roman  Catholic  cluirch  is  the  infallible  representative 
of  Ciod  on  earth;  that  the  k:w*\  ot"  education  is  to  make 
obedient  and  capable  servants  ot'  the  cluirch;  and,  there- 
fore, that  the  church  must  have  supreme  control  of  the 
means  and  methods  of  education.  The  state,  if  it  carries 
on  popular  education  at  all,  must  do  it  under  the  control 
and  direction  of  the  ordaini'd  rej)resentati\  es  of  the  church. 
From  this  position  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy  has  never 
receded.  In  this  position  it  stands  to-day  as  uncompro- 
misingly in  the  United  States  as  in  Spain.  Whate\er  slight 
adaptations  to  their  environment  in  this  land  the  Roman 
clerics  may  ha\  e  felt  compelled  to  make,  they  certainly 
never  have  made  anv  concession  in  their  avowals  of 
principle.  American  institutions  have  only  superficially 
modified  otlicial  Roman  Catholicism.  Its  essential  spirit 
is  unchanged  and  unchanging. 

That  I  may  not  be  suspected  of  misrepresenting,  some- 
thing I  do  not  fear  from  any  intelligent  and  well  instructed 
Roman  Catholic,  I  will  quote  from  official  authorities. 

In  the  Ninth  Article  of  "  A  Full  Catechism  of  the 
Catholic  Religion,"  may  be  found  the  following: 

"  45.  By  whom  is  the  Divine  doctrine  always  preserved 
pure  and  uncorrupted  in  the  Church? 

By  the  Infallible  Teaching  Body  ot  the  Church. 

46.     Who  composes  this  Infallible  Teaching  Body? 

The  Pope  and  the  Bishops  united  with  him." 

This  alleged  "  Infallible  Teaching  Body  "  explicitly,  con- 
stantly and  consistently  affirms  the  principle  that  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  is  the  supreme  authority  in  education. 


j3  The  American  Coin inon  School 

7'//<'  CV?///r'//V  /u'z/V:t',  lor  April,  I H71,  said: 
'•  \Vc  ik'iiy,  of  idiirsc,  as  Roman  C"atliolic«,  the  ri^lus  ot 
the-  i.i\il  ^M)\\-rniUfiil  to  cilmaU-:    lor  i-iliKation  is  a  lunc- 
tion  of  tlic  spiritual  society  as  iiukIi  as  prcathinji;/' 

A  Catholic  Dic/ionnrw  t-ditcil  i>y  William  K.  Addis 
and  Thomas  Arnold,  a  standard  and  conservative  work, 
bearing  the  ///////  ohslaf  of  Kdvvard  S.  Keojrh,  censor,  and 
the  iinpriuiatur  of  Henry  V..  Manninj^s  Cardinal  Arch- 
bishop of  Westminster,  declares  that: 

"  The  first  and  hijrhest  authority  in  all  that  re^'ards  edu- 
cation is  the  Church.  With  her  sanction  it  should  be 
commenced,  and  under  her  superintendence  it  should  be 
continued." 

The  article  on  "  Education,"  from  which  I  quote,  recog- 
nizes three  authorities  in  education,  namely:  the  church, 
the  state,  and  the  parent;  but  it  entirely  subordinates  the 
state  and  the  parent  to  the  chmch;  so  that  really  there  is 
but  one  authority.     "The  claims  of  the  state,"  says  this 
article,  "  become  unjust  and  oppressive  when,  ignoring  the 
still  more  sacred  right  of  the  church  to  secure  in  educa- 
tion the   attainment  of  man's  highest  end,  it  compels  or 
tempts  Catholics  to  place  their  children  in  schools  which 
the  ecclesiastical  authority  has  not  sanctioned."    "  Catholic 
parents,"  it  continues,  "  are  bound  to  see  that  the  teaching 
in  the  schools  to  which  they  send  their  children  has  eccle- 
siastical sanction,  and  to  resist  all  attempts  to  make  them 
patronize  schools  without  that  sanction. 

The  ends  ot  education,  the  article  thus  defines: 

"  Education  has  three  principal  ends  — the  first  religious, 

the  second  political,  the  third  domestic;  but  among  these 

the  religious  end  takes  the  lead  and  dominates  over  the  other 

two,  on  account  of  its  intrinsically  greater  importance.   And 


'tool 

saiil: 

)lich,  flic  i-i,!4lu  '>!" 
iication  is  a  lunc- 
rcachin^'.' 

Villiani  K.  AcUlis 
mstTNathc  work, 
coffli,  censor,  ami 
,  Cardinal  Arch- 
that  rc^'ards  cdu- 
ion  it  should  be 
once  it  should  be 

ch  I  quote,  recog- 
nely:  the  church, 
subordinates  the 
hat  really  there  is 
li  state,"  says  this 
*'hen,  ignoring  the 
I  secure  in  educa- 
nd,  it  compels  or 
.  in  schools  which 
oned."  "Catholic 
:  that  the  teaching 
:hildren  has  eccle- 
ipts  to  make  them 

IS  defines: 
-the  first  religious, 
;  but  among  these 
lates  over  the  other 
r  importance.   And 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Pann-hial  School.  23 

since,  as  explained  above,  we  cannot  walk  securely  in  re- 
ligion one  step  except  in  unison  with  ami  obedience  to  the 
church,  every  well  instructed  Catholic  understands  that  the 
church  must  preside  over  the  education  of  Catholics  ;il 
c\  er^  stage  and  in  every  branch,  so  far  as  to  sec  that  they 
are  sufficiently  instructed  in  their  religion." 

In  the  Roman  Catholic  idea  ol'  education,  religion  and 
God  are  identified  with  the  Roman  Catholic  church;  rev- 
erence for  the  church,  therefore,  ami  unquestioning  devo- 
tion to  her  interests,  are  the  chief  ends  at  which  education 
aims.     The   purpose   of  the   Parochial  Schools   is   not  to 
educate,  in  the  broad  and  high  sense  in  which  the  modern 
cultivated  mind  conceives  that  word,  but  to  make  firmly 
loyal  and  obediently  docile  Roman  Catholics.     Patriotism, 
knowledge  of  histoi'y  and  science,  culture  and  skill,  are 
secondary  to  knowledge  and  service  of  the  church.     The 
one  thing  insisted  on  and  emphasised  above  all  others  is 
the    absolute,  infallible  authority    of  the    church.     The 
Roman  Catholic  idea  of  education  determines,  of  course, 
the   character  of  the  text-books  which  are   used    in  the 
Parochial  Schools,  and  the  character  as  well  of  the  teach- 
ers in  those  schools.     The  whole  system  of  Parochial  edu- 
cation is  organized  about  religion,  not  as  a  spiritual  and 
universal    principle,  but  as  defined  by  the  doctrines  and 
expressed  in  the  organization  and  ritual  of  the  church  ot 
Rome.     It  remains  for  us  to  consider: 

IV.     Some  of   the   Practical   Results  which  the 
Spirit   and   Methods   of  the   Parochial  School 
MUST  Produce. 
The  regulative  principle   of  Parochial  School  training 

being  the  infallible  authority  of  the  church,  it.must  follow 

that  this  system : — 


'•'1 

1 


24 


The  American  Common  School 


1.  Destroys  intellectual  liberty.  The  pursuit  of  knowl- 
edge and  the  search  for  truth  cannot  be  disinterested  when 
the  mind  works  under  the  rule  of  such  a  principle  as  that 
of  papal  infallibility.  The  facts  of  history  cannot  be  criti- 
call}-  investigated  and  impartially  weighed,  for  they  cannot 
be  suffered  to  contradict  this  principle.  The  phenomena 
of  nature,  also,  must  be  studied  subject  to  interpretations 
of  the  world  which  are  ecclesiastical  and  dogmatic.  The 
mind  is  not  toned  up  and  sti.iiulatcd  to  a  full  and  system- 
atical development;  for  it  is  compelled  to  fit  a  certain 
unyielding  mould.  The  conception  of  the  infallible  author- 
ity of  a  human  organization  not  only  fetters  the  mind  by 
setting  limits  to  enquir}-,  but  also  prevents  that  unflinching 
sincerity  in  thinking  without  which  intellectual  liberty  is 
both  meaningless  and  impossible. 

2.  The  principle  of  Parochial  School  training  promotes 
deficient  and  dishonest  teaching. 

An  examination  of  the  text  books  now  m  use  in  the 
Parochial  Schools  will  abundantly  substantiate  this  con- 
fessedly grave  charge.  The  teaching  in  these  books  is 
deficient,  because  vital  facts  of  history  are  cither  omitted, 
or  given  in  such  disproportion  that  their  meaning  is  ob- 
scured. The  teaching  is  dislionest^h&caw&Q^  these  books  are 
marked  not  only  b}'  suppressions  of  the  truth,  but  also  by 
misstatements  by  which  sound  knowledge  is  prevented  and 
false  ideas  are  inculcated  in  the  interest  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic church.  I  have  examined  "  A  Full  Catechism  of  the 
Catholic  Religion,"  "  Saddlier's  Excelsior  Introduction  to 
Geograph}-,"  Gazeau's  "  Modern  History,"  "  The  Young 
Catholic's  Illustrated  Fifth  Reader,"  "  The  Third  Reader" 
of  the  Catholic  National  Series,  and  Bishop  Gilmour's  Bible 
and  Church  History,  all  of  which  are  widely  used  in  the 


hool 


pursuit  of  knowl- 
isinterested  when 
I  principle  as  that 
■y  cannot  be  criti- 
d,  for  they  cannot 
The  phenomena 
to  interpretations 
I  dogmatic.  The 
L  full  and  system- 
i  to  fit  a  certain 
;  infallible  author- 
tters  the  mind  by 
:s  that  unflinching 
illectua)  liberty  is 

training  promotes 

ow  m  use  in  the 
tantiate  this  con- 
in  these  books  is 
ire  cither  omitted, 
ir  meaning  is  ob- 
se  these  books  are 

truth,  but  also  by 
e  is  prevented  and 
f  the  Roman  Cath- 

Catechism  of  the 
)r  Introduction  to 


"    u 


The  Young 
he  Third  Reader" 
3p  Gilmour's  Bible 
ividely  used  in  the 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  -'5 

Parochial  Schools  of  the  United  States  and  Canada.     All 
of  these  books  are  thorough  advocates  of  Roman  Catholi- 
cism, so  much  so  indeed,  as  to  deserve  the  name  of  apolo- 
getic works.     In  the  preface  to  The  Third  Reader  of  the 
National    Series,   the    author  naively    says:  '*  The  Third 
Reader,  in  common  with  the  other  books  of  the  Catholic 
National  Serirs,  has  one  chief  characteristic,  viz.:    a 
thoroughly  Catholic  tone,  which  will  be  found  to  pervade 
the  whole  book."     Imagine  a  school-book  commended  to 
our  approval,  even  by  the  statement  that  it  has  "  a  thor- 
oughly Baptist,"  or  "  Methodist,"  or  "  Episcopalian  tone." 
The  table  of  contents  prefixed  to   "  The  Third  Reader," 
contains,  among  others  equally  suggestive,  the  following 
titles:    "Bessie's    First    Mass,"   "St.    Germaine   Cousin," 
"  The  Weight  of  a  Prayer,"   "  Pope   Leo  XIII.  and   the 
Brigands,"  "The  Legend  ot  the  Infant  Jesus  Serving  at 
Mass,"   "  How  to  be  a  Nun,"  "  St.  Bridget,"  and   "  St. 
Francis  of  Assisi."     "  The  Weight  of  a  Prayer "  relates 
that  a  poor  woman  went  into  a  butcher-shop  and  asked 
for  meat.     When  the  butcher  inquired  what  she  had  to 
give  for  it,  she  answered,  "  nothing  but  my  prayers."     The 
butcher    says    that  prayers  will    not    pay    rent   and    buy 
cattle.     But,  inclined  to  joke,  he  says  he  will  give  her  as 
much  meat  as  her  prayer  will  weigh.     Thereupon  he  writes 
the  poor  woman's  prayer  on  a  slip  of  paper  and  puts  it  on 
one  side  of  the  scale  and  then  puts  a  tiny  bit  of  meat  on 
the  other  side.     To  his  astonishment,  the  paper  does  not 
rise.     He  puts  on  a  larger  piece.     Still  the  paper  remains 
down.    Then  in  fright  he  puts  on  the  scale  a  large  round 
of  beef,  and  turning  to  the  woman  acknowledges  the  evi- 
dent hand  of  God,  and  in  penitence  promises  her  in  the 
future   all   the   meat  she  may  want.      In   this   book   arq 


26 


The  American  Common  School 


in 


several  other  instances  of   modern    miracles    similar 
character. 

Bishop  Gilmour's  Bible  and  Church  History  contains 
such  extraordinary  misrepresentations  as  the  following: 

"  Not  only  the  church  [of  Rome]  has  been  no  obstacle 
to  progress,  either  in  science  or  art,  but  to  Catholics  is  due 
the  discovery  of  nearly  all  the  valuable  inventions  we  have. 
Cjirefully  examined  it  will  be  seen  that  with  the  exception 
of  the  steam  engine  and  the  railroad,  little  that  is  really 
new  has  been  discovered  other  than  by  Catholics."    P.  2g8. 

Again : 

"  In  15 17»  Pope  Leo  X.  published  a  Jubilee,  and  directed 
that  the  alms  to  be  given  should  be  sent  to  Rome  to  help 
complete  the  great  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter,  then  being  built. 
Tetzel,  Superior  of  the  Dominicans,  was  appointed  to 
preach  this  Jubilee  throughout  Germany,  which  greatly 
displeased  Luther,  because  of  the  slight,  as  he  supposed, 
that  had  thus  been  thrown  upon  the  Augustinians  by  not 
inviting  them  to  preach  the  Jubilee."     P.  joo. 

Still  again: 

"With  the  exception  of  'The  Bible  Alone  as  the  Rule 
of  Faith,'  Luther  and  Calvin  but  repeated  the  heresies  of 
Huss  and  Wycliffe,  and  the  earlier  heresiarchs.  Calvin 
adopted  the  heresies  of  Pelagius  on  grace  and  original  sin." 
P.  301, 

This  last  statement  will  be  interesting  to  theologians. 
We  are  told : 

"John  Knox  died  in  1572,  revered  bv  the  Scotch,  but 
known  in  history  as  the  '  Ruffian  of  the  Reformation.' " 
P.  302. 

Comparing  Catholicism  with  Protestantism,  the  Bishop 
says : 

"To  make  converts.  Catholicity  has  ever  appealed  to 
reason;  Protestantism,  like  Mohammedanism,  to  force  and 


violence.     *     *     * 


Protestantism  began  with  *an 


cles    similar    in 

[istory  contains 
le  following: 
•ecn  no  obstacle 
Catholics  is  due 
jntions  we  have. 
;h  the  exception 
le  that  is  really 
olics."    P.  2g8. 

ee,  and  directed 
)  Rome  to  help 
hen  being  built, 
s  appointed  to 
which  greatly 
IS  he  supposed, 
istinians  by  not 

}QO. 

ne  as  the  Rule 
I  the  heresies  of 
liarchs.  Calvin 
id  original  sin." 

theologians. 

the  Scotch,  but 
Reformation.' " 

ism,  the  Bishop 

'er  appealed  to 
sm,  to  force  and 
began  with  *an 


vs. 


The  Sectarian  Parochial  School. 


27 


1 


't 


open  Bible  and  Free  Interpretation,'  and  has  ended  [sic]  m 
division  and  disbelief.  By  the  above  principle,  everyone 
becomes  judge  of  what  he  will  or  will  not  believe.  Hence, 
amongst  Protestants  there  are  almost  as  many  religions  as 
there  are  individuals,  the  churches  divided  and  torn  into 
pieces,  ending  in  infidelity  and  Mormonism.  On  the  other 
hand,  Catholicity  remains  ever  the  same,  because  Catho- 
licity is  truth,  and  truth  changes  not."     P.  3^4- 

From  Gazeau's  «  Modern  History,"  I  quote  but  two  or 
three  selections.  These  will  serve  as  samples  of  the  whole. 
On  the  Inquisition,  the  author  says : 

"Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  honored  by  the  Holy  See  with 
the  title  of  'Catholic  So%ereigns,'  resolved  to  prove  them- 
selves worthy  of  it  by  maintaining  among  their  subjects 
the  faith  in  all  its  purity.  To  this  end  they  had  revived  the 
ancient  tribunal  of  the  Inquisition.      *      *  "s  chiei 

aim  was  to  detect  every  crime  and  delinquency  in  religious 
matters,  especially  among  the  converted  Jews  and  Moors, 
many  of  whom  simply  professed    conversion,   and  were 
often  secretly   engaged    in  treasonable  practices.     It  the 
accused  was  found  guilty  and  manifested  some  repentance, 
he  was  sentenced  to  make  a  public  reparation,  or  act  o 
taith,  Auto-da-fe,  holding  a  lighted  taper  in  his  hand.     It 
he  persisted  in  his  error  he  was  handed  over  to  the  secular 
arm,  and  lay  judges  pronounced  sentence  and  aPP/'edthe 
laws  of  the  state.     The  Spanish  Inquisition,  like  all  human 
institutions,  was  not  always  restricted  within  just  limits,  and 
the  Head  of  the  Church  more  than  once  interposed  his 
authority;    but  if,  later,  other   sovereigns   made  of  this 
tribunal  a  political  instrument,  Ferdinand   should  not  be 
censured  for  confiding  to  it  the  mission  of  prosecuting  infi- 
dels who  by  their  sacrilegious  profanations  were  subjects 
of  scandal  to  Catholics."     P.  42. 
Of  Luther  we  are  told: 

« Wicked    men   are    always    disposed  to  rebel    against 
authority.     The  sale  of  indulgences  and  the  word    reform 


28 


The  American  Common  School 


were  simply  made  the  pretext  by  the  able  but  unprineipled 
Luther  lor  the  onburst  of  the  storm  that  was  to  devastate 
Europe  and  break  up  the  spiritual  unity  oi"  Christendom." 
P.  62,  63. 

Concernino-  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's  Day, 
the  author  says: 

"  As  to  the  solemn  Te  Detim  sung  at  Rome  by  order  of 
Pope  Gregory  XIII.,  it  was  done  under  the  impression 
that  the  massacre  was  begun  on  the  part  of  the  Calvinists, 
that  the  Kings  party  acted  in  self-defence,  and  that  the 
affair  grew  out  of  an  unsuccessful  conspiracy  against  the 
French  government  and  the  Catholic  church.  This  Te 
Deum  belonged  to  the  same  category  as  the  one  sung 
shortly  before  for  the  victory  gained  at  Lepanto  over  the 
Turks."     P.  106,  107. 

Of  Alva's  mission  to  the  Netherlands,  the  author  says: 
"  The  King  of  Spain  resolved  to  wreak  signal  vengeance 
on  the  *  Beggars '  [the  Protestant  confederates  of  Breda] . 
His  most  experienced  general,  Alvarez  of  Toledo,  Duke 
of  Alva,  entered  the  Netherlands  at  the  head  of  twenty 
thousand  men  and  pursued  the  rebels  with  extreme  sever- 
ity. It  is  asserted  that  out  of  hatred  to  the  new  governor 
nearly  one  hundred  thousand  of  the  inhablLants  went  vol- 
untaril}'  into  exile."     P.  iig- 

The  dominant  purpose  of  these  text-books  is  to  exalt 
and  glorify  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  to  this  end 
the  truth  of  history  and  the  moral  lessons  which'  history  is 
meant  to  convey,  are  shamelessly  sacrificed.  .  Nor  is  this 
the  worst  result  of  such  dishonest  teaching.  Those  who 
are  taught  are  wronged  in  the  deepest  way,  by  having 
essential  falsehood  incorporated  with  all  their  thinking 
upon  human  experience  and  human  destiny.  At  best  his- 
tory is  imperfect,  but,  as  the  record  of  human  experience 
sincerely  set  forth,  it  is  the  wisest  teacher  of  each  genera- 


o1 

ut  unprincipled 
as  to  devastate 
Christendom." 

jlomcw's   Day, 

ime  by  order  oi" 
the  impression 
■  the  Calvinists, 
e,  and  that  the 
■acy  against  the 
iirch.  This  Tc 
i  tlie  one  sung 
epanto  over  the 

lie  author  says: 
gnal  vengeance 
ates  of  Breda], 
f  Toledo,  Duke 
lead  of  twenty 
extreme  sever- 
:  new  governor 
lants  went  vol- 

)oks  is  to  exalt 
and  to  this  end 
which  history  is 
;d.  Nor  is  this 
ig.  Those  who 
way,  by  having 
1  their  thinking 
y.  At  best  his- 
man  experience 
of  each  genera- 


vs.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School  29 

tion  as  it  comes  on  the  stage  of  life  and  action.  To  make 
the  record  not  only  still  more  imperfect  but  even  dishonest 
and  false,  is  a  crime  of  the  first  magnitude. 

3.  A  third  result  of  Parochial  School  training  is,  natur- 
allV  the  development  of  an  intense  and  bigoted  sectari- 
anism. In  the  ninth  article  of  -.1  Full  Catechism  oj 
the  Catholic  Religion r  may  be  found  the  following: 

"  64  If  the  Catholic  Church  is  to  lead  all  men  to  eternal 
salvation,  and  has,  for  that  purpose,  received  from  Christ 
hor  doctrine,  her  means  of  grace,  and  her  powers,  what, 
for  his  part,  is  every  one  obliged  to  do? 

Every  one  is  obliged,  under  pain  ot  eternal  damnation, 
to  become  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  believe 
her  doctrine,  to  use  her  means  of  grace,  and  to  submit  to 
her  authority."' 

No  real  knowledge  is  given  of  any  church  other  than 
the  Roman.  Protestants  are  condemned  and  villitied. 
Religious  liberty  is  represented  as  a  deadly  error,  and  the 
claims  of  the  Roman  church  are  set  forth  as  absolutely 
supreme.  The  result  of  such  teaching  can  be  of  but  one 
sort.  As  there  is  no  fairness  in  the  instruction,  there  can 
be  no  fairness  in  the  judgments  of  those  who  receive  the 
instruction,  and  the  worst  form  of  caste,  namely,  the  relig- 
ious, is  created  and  perpetuated.  Social  life  is  thus  invaded 
and  its  benignity,  freedom  and  solidarity  are  destroyed. 

4.  Finally,  the  Parochial  system  of  education  is  a  per- 
petual menace  to  political  integrity,  because  it  inculcates 
not  so  much  a  divided  sovereignty  as  a  temporal  supremacy 
in  the  Romair  church  and  its  earthly  head  of  which  the 
authority  of  the  state  is  scarcely  in  any  sense  a  rival. 
Fortunately  even  Roman  Catholics  do  not  always  carry 
out  in  action  the  logical  results  of  their  system.     Many  ot 


,,n_-»-...c;     _i' 


30  The  American  Common  School 

them  are  larger  than  their  creed  and  better  than  their  sys- 
tem. But  this  can  be  true,  only  in  very  small  degree,  of 
those  who  receive  their  entire  training  in  the  Parochial 
School.  A  government  cannot  be  stable  if  a  large  number 
of  its  subjects  conscientiously  hold  allegiance  to  a  foreign 
potentate.  I  have  little  fear  for  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  for  the  forces  of  intelligence  and  patriotism 
in  the  mass  of  the  people  are  too  strong,  I  believe,  to  be 
overcome.  Yet,  the  teaching  of  such  a  system  as  Roman- 
ism, by  such  methods  as  prevail  in  the  Parochial  Schools, 
is  a  continual  threat  against  our  political  integrity  and 
freedom.  The  tendency  of  the  whole  Parochial  system  is 
to  dwarf  and  misrepresent  the  signiricance  of  political 
institutions  and  political  progress.  That  the  system  is 
inimical  to  the  Constitution  has  been  shown  with  clear- 
ness and  cogency  by  Bishop  Coxe.  The  Constitution, 
as  he  says,  implies: 

(i)     Liberty  of  the  press. 

(2)  Liberty  of  conscience  and  of  worship. 

(3)  Liberty  of  speech. 

(4)  The  power  of  the  state  to  define  the  civil  rights  of 
ecclesiastics. 

(5)  That  the  church  may  not  employ  force. 

(6)  That  the  civil  law  must  prevail  over  papal  laws. 

(7)  That  the  free  exercise  of  religion  ought  to  be  al- 
lowed in  all  countries. 

(8)  That  civil  marriages  are  valid. 

(9)  That  the  domain  of  morals  may  be  treated  apart 
from  the  decrees  of  pontiffs. 

(10)  That  civil  duty  and  allegiance  may  be  taught  and 
treated  with  similar  freedom. 


ol 

r  than  their  sys- 
sniull  degree,  of 
1  the  Parochial 
'  a  hirge  number 
nee  to  a  foreign 
ernment  of  the 
e  and  patriotism 
I  believe,  to  be 
item  as  Roman- 
'ochial  Schools, 
il  integrity  and 
ochial  system  is 
nee  of  political 
the  system  is 
own  with  clear- 

CONSTITUTION, 


;hip. 


16  civil  rights  of 


force. 

er  papal  laws, 
ought  to  be  al- 


be  treated  apart 
ly  be  taught  and 


7'.v.  The  Sectarian  Parochial  School.  31 

Yet  every  one  of  these  principles  has  been  condemned 
by  the  "infallible"  head  of  the  Roman  church,  and^all  who 
hold  these  principles  have  been  declared  to  hold  them  at 
the  peril  of  their  eternal  salvation.  He  who  accepts  the 
creed  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  accepts  the  dicta  of 
its  head. 

Are  we  to  turn  out  the  Constitution  from  the  Common 
Schools  as  well  as  the  Bible  ? 

In  conclusion,  I  urge  no  argument  and  present  no  infer- 
ences drawn  from  the  contrast  between  these  two  sys- 
tems—  the  Common  School  svstem  and  the  Parochial 
School  system.  The  contrast  itself  is  argument  invincible 
and  overwhelming.  The  fortunes  of  the  Republic  are 
bound  up  with  the  maintenance  and  the  continuous  upward 
development  of  that"  broad,  beneficent  and  most  precious 
institution,  the  American  Common  School. 


The  idea  of  the  Ameiican  Common  Schools  which  is  sedulously  inculca- 
ted in  the  minds  of  Catholics  by  ecclesiastical  authority,  may  be  found 
expressed  at  length,  and  with  sufficient  vehemence,  in  a  pamphlet  by 
Thomas  J.  Jenkins,  and  published  by  John  Murphy  &  Co.,  of  Baltimore. 
The  full  title  of  this  pamphlet  is  as  follows  : 

Catholic   Educators'  Manual  on  Schools. 

IHK 

christIan  vs.  codless  schools. 

1   n     ,.iiinr   Rulines  the   world  over,  especially  ot 
Papal,   Pastoral  and   Conchar   R.^m  J  ^^^^^^  ^„  ,,, 

the  III.  Plenary  Council  of  Baltimore,  \mui  1 

Struggle  for  Christian  Education.  „  ^  vtq 

ADDRESSED  TO  CATHOLIC    PAREMS. 

»v 

Thomas  J.  Jenkins,  Author  of  "  Six  Seasons  on  our  Pra.ries." 

John  Murphy  &  Co..  PuhlUhers,  Baltimore. 


.3-2  Common  vs.  Parochial  Schools. 

In  this  pamphlet,  the  following  sentiments  are  copiously  and  variously 
expressed ; 

"The  Pul)lic  Schools  are  inlldel  and  Godless,  and  must  therefore  lie  avoided."  /'.  <?/. 

"Sad  experience  lias  nia.le  it  evident,  that  Catlu.lic  Youth,  l)y  the  frei|uentation  of  the 
Public  Schools,  are  almost  without  exceiuion,  exjioseil  to  great  danger,  not  only  of 
corruption  of  morals,  but  also  of  losing  faith  itself."    /'.  SS. 

"The  line  is  drawn,  and  pastors  cry  to  their  (locks:  'Are  you  Catholics  ?  Come  ovt  r 
to  me  and  send  your  children  to  Catholic  schools.  Arc  you  not  Catholics  ?  Then  «.> 
away  about  your  business;  we  want  no  such  black,  scabby  sheep  to  infest  the  flock  of 
Christ.' "     /'.  101. 

I  forbear  (iiioting  further,  but  Americans  who  would  understand  the  real 
animus  of  the  Roman  Catholic  attack  on  the  American  Sciiool  system, 
should  read  this  pamphlet. 


■■  - 


PHUS  or  8.  O.  ROBINSON.   K 


PUHOHASf  «T.,   BOarON. 


^!P*-'>-"t«3;5j3^.  '■ '-;  i 


Bil  « 


o/s. 

iously  and  variously 

)re  lie  avoided."  /'.  S/. 
he  fre(|uentation  of  the 
at  (Innjjer,  not  only  of 

Calliolics  ?  Come  owr 
t  Catholics  ?  Then  jjo 
|i  to  infest  the  flock  of 

uiulerstand  the  real 
can  School  system, 


TO  PUHOHASt  »T.,   MMTON. 


/ 


:#'li 


